Float valve



July28, 1925. 1,547,255

P. MUELLER l FLOAT VALVE Filed Dec. 51, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet l July 2s, 1925.

' P. MUELLt-:R

FLOAT VALVE i 2 sneaks-snm 2 Filed D90. 51, 1921 Patented July A2S, 1925.

i UNITE-D STATE PHILIP MUELLER,

or DECATUR, ILLrivoIs,l AssIGNon, Toy ADOLPH mm1-11.1.1115,` i TRUSTEE, or DECATUR; ILLINOIS.` v

n FLOAT VALVE.

d appiictionyfiied"neember31192i. semi No. 526,134.1 l.

To all whom t may con-cern: Y y

Be it known that I, PHrLInMUELLEina citizen ofthe yUnited States, residing at Decatur, inthe county of Maconl and Statev of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Float Valves, of which the following is a specification.

The preseiitinvention relates to improvements i in .valvesl particularlyy intended for use with flush tanks and in which the valve is actuated by movement of a float support` ed on a lever arm connected vWiththe valve stem.v

The object of the .invention is to provide a mounting for the l'loat, or means for con-f. nectlng 1t with the valve actuating lever,

which willvfresult in a maximum leverage being exerted by said lever lduring-.the iniy tial opening of the valve, and also vjustl at thezclosing of the valve... The invention con'- templates, further, means by .which the, re-V lation of the floatptofits supporting lever arm'may be readily varied so'asV tohaveits greatest leverage atk the initial opening of the valve and at the, inal closing thereof.

In the accompanying drawings: n

Fig. Y1 is av side-elevation of -an embodiment of the inventionshowingin full lines the position ofthe partslwhen the valve is closed, and in dotted lines Hthe positions of the parts when the valve is open.

Fig. 2 .isa plan of thevparts shown in Fig.,1. i

Fig. 3 isa detail perspective viewl ofthe connectionbetween the Yfloat andthe lever,-

and end Fig.y 6 is a perspective,'view. illustrating a slightly `dil'lerent form of .connectionbef tween the lever .arm and the lloat. i

Figs. 7 andv 8 are respectively `vertical and horizontal sectional views of the Vembodimentof` the inventionshown in Fig.l 6,

Fig. 9 is adetail view of another modi-l lication.v l. ,s Fig.'10 isa sectional view of the construction shown in Fig. 9.

y view. illustrating the l severalf Referring tothe drawings, k1 designates the stub inlet through'whichliquid is sup-y plied to a. flushing tank, and the outletffrom which it is controlled by a valve 2.

s, l 'PATENT oF-Flcaj It I will beevidentvthat the present invenfi tion is adapted for use with fluid inlet' and Valve' mechanisms of various types, and,

therefore, inthe-.present drawings, these' f parts are shownmore `orless conventionally, y and it is tobeunderstood that the invenxtlon hereinafter described rand particularly pointed outl inthe claims vis not limited to such devices. v

`use withthe V-Iliarticular fluid supply means l,

In the embodiment ofthe invention-.ill lustrated, the valve stem is providedwith .a

suitable'quick acting Vthreaded Vsection Vthat extends beyond the valve casing,andl to the louter endthe'reof is secured an` arm 4,

at one endofwhich is pro/vided 4a sleeve.

.f5 `withinfwhich ,lislsecured:afglaterally extending arm,v 6. terminatingin a sleeve 7 throughwhichthe main float carrying lever v arm or rod .8 extends. /Inthe embodiment n of theinvention illustratedin Figs. lto, 5,y

the endoftherod or lever arm 8, remote n from,V the valve, is deflected laterally, and

. this xbent vsection.V extends through la pas .sage in acouplingiblock ,or connection` mem-j Y ber 10. [A Cotter pin 11- `or.similar/means is provided to retain the block `lrinpositionon block is free ,to have v alimited rocking fthe; bent end ofthe' lever arm. y8, but` said j an axis. .The float 12 is providedlwi'thv a stem 13 that extends throughga suitable ypas- Y sage formed in lthe block 10 'and is heldin .j any desired adjusted relation-,to said block` .1 At lthe end of the `block l0 adjacent therod 8 there are providedv two laterally projectingspaced lugs 15 and 16, between whichthe dellectedp'ortion 9` offthelever arm-extends),l andthe lower lu'g 16 .vis proby means of -a s etlscrew14.l

adjacent oneendjso that said block andthe vvidedwith a beveledor--inclined surface 17 i float supported Vthereby.mayrock about the a section 9V ot the @'leverarmin adirection to 'carry the float from the valve' when the` lever moves in'one direction and thus increase the effective length of the lever arm.

It will be seen that when the liquid in the tank reaches the predetermined level the valve 2 will be closed and the float and its supporting lever Will occupy substantially the position shown iii full lines in Fig. l, iii which position the stem 13 of the float is substantially perpendicular to the bottom of the tank.v As soon as the outlet Jrom the tankis opened and the liquid levelv in the tank reduced7 the float will descend and automatically rock about the axis 9 oiits con-.- nection with the lever 8, so that its stem will form a substantially rigl'it angle with the lever arm when the latter reaches the intermediate horizontal; position indicated in dotted Vlines in Figure 1.'

Asthe tank" continues to empty, the 'float y stem 13 will gradually fall outvvarchfdue to the tapered surface 17 on the lug until it assumes the lowei'most dottedv line position shown in Figure l. VWhen the tank beg-ins to i'ill, the lioat 12 WillV first rock on its pivot at the end oi the lever arm 8, and' move upward, taking the arm with it7 until it reachesthe intermediate vertical position slioivn in dotted lines 1n Figure 1, Where it engages the lug inthe manner as shown in Figure 8, so as to prevent the'loat stein from tilting inivardly to less than a right angle relative to the lever 8. its the float continues to rise, the valve Will gradually close 'until the parts are inY the position as indicated in full lines in Figui-e1. ByY rea'- son of' the particular means employed for connecting the lever arm 8 with the li'oat stem 13,jit will? be observed that the lever arm will" have itsl greatest leverage at the initial opening andv fina-l closingV of' the valve. VVhen the float assu-mes the full line position, as shoivn in Figure 1, the eli'ective leverage of thejiloat and its operating rod on the valve are as indicated by the dot and dash lines B and C; the line C indicating the increasing leverage over the ordinary float `attached directly to the valve operating'A rod', the path of movement of; which is indicated by the dot and dash curved line D.

By reason oi this construction, a full open position oii the valve is maintained for a-considerably longer period than is the casev when the float is coupled direct-ly to the rvalve operating rod?, Which considerably accelerates the filling of the tank; Furthermore, when the parts assume the full line.

closed position as shown in Figure l" With the beveled lug 116 bearing against the underV side of; the rod 8, the additional leverage ind'icatedby the line C brings about a quick and close seatingot' the valve, thus avoidingthe.objectionsyincident toa slow closing valve, due to currents of high velocity loiv ing` through arestricted seat opening` Thev lug 15 on 'the block 1,0 by' which the float is supportedv Will positively prevent labout them as an ln the embodiment of the invention illustratcd in Figs. 6, 7 and 8i the levei' arm or valve actuating rod 8 is provided vat its outer end with spaced ears 20, 21, between which the float supporting block 10a is, ar ln this embodiment ofthe Vinven-y ranged, tion saidv block is provided ivitli laterally projecting trunnions 23. which lit Within suitable apertures. formed in the ears 2 0, 21 and permit the float and its stem to' rock asis in substantially the saine manner as hereinbefore described. The rear face of he block 10L Yis beveled oi' cut away as at 10b so as to permit ol" the rocking movement ci" the float relative to` its supporting lever to a limited extent' in one direction, the upper rear edge 10C of said block constitutiiig a shoulder which contacts With the member connecting. the ears 20?:21 to limit rocking movement of the iioat relative to the rod 8am in the opposite direction.`

lu the form et the invention shown in Figs, and 10, a very simple construction is provided to secure this tilting action of the float-v andthe increased leverage, float stem 23 is screiv. threaded as shown. and passes through an eye 24 at the end of the lever arin- 25- Which couples With the valve actuating parts. rlhe eye 24 at' the The end of the lever arm is beveledias shown in Fig. 1()5 and the float stem 23 has the bev'- elel nuts 26von either side of the eye 24' spaced sufficient to permit rocking ofA the' float, sui-table lock nuts 27 being provided to maintain the beveled nuts 26 inA adjust.- edv position With this construction, it 4Will bessen that the float stem 2b'L is capable of tilting' in the eye 24 and rocking upon the beveled nuts soas to secure the same increased leverageas with the other'forms of; `the invention.

It' is believed that the operati-on and the advantages of' the invention Will be readily understood and appreciated from the foregoing description in', connection with the drawings. t'ivill beseen that the float Will automatically nieve to a position to first decrease and then increase the effective length and leverage of its supporting arm-as soon as there is any substantial decrease of' the Water level in the tank, so that theopening-of the valve Will be quicklyyiniti'ated,,and

llt?

that the increased leverage will beetl'ected during the final closing movements of the` valve so that the valve .will be surely brought to its seat. v A

lt will, of course, be understood-that while the embodiments of the invention dequickly and scribedy and-.illustrated .are the preferable Vforms, so far as experience has shown at for limiting the outward movement of said float.

2. The combination With a tank supply valve, a lever arm connected to said valve,

a iloat, an adjustablecoupling movably connecting` said iioat to said lever, and means on said coupling for engaging said lever for limiting the outwardV movement of the float.

3. A float actuating valve of the class described comprising a lever arm adapted to be connected to a valve, y a float having a stem, an independent coupling adjustably connecting the stem and lever arm and adapted to permit. the same to turn freely about a horizontal axis, and means on said coupling for limiting the outward movement of the stem relative to the lever arm.

4. A float actuated valve operatingmechanism comprising a lever arm adapted to be connected with a valve, a ioat having a stem, a coupling connecting the stem, and lever arm, andmeans on said coupling for limiting movement of the stem and float relative to said lever arm; n

5. A fioat actuated valve operating mechanism comprising a lever arm adapted to beconnected with a valve,l a ioat having a stem, a coupling connecting the stem and lever arm so as to permit the stem to turn freely about a horizontal axis, and means .on said coupling for limiting movement of the stem and float relative to said lever ar to not less than a right angle.

6. A float actuated valve operating mechanism comprising a lever arm adapted to be connectedwith a valve, a ioat having a stem, a coupling'connecting the stem and lever arm so as to permit the stem to turn freely about a horizontal axis, and means on said coupling for limitingthe movement of the stem to a substantially vvertical position relative to the lever arm.. y

v7. A float actuated valve operating mechanism comprising alever arm adaptedtof be'connected with a valve, Va floatlhavmg `a stem', and an independenty coupling provided vwith means for attachment to the floatl stemand 'connectedwith the lever arm to rock about anaxis Vextending.transversely of Y the length ,ofvsaidarm.

8. A float actuated means for operating avk valve comprising a lever arm adapted to be connected'witli a valve, a float, an independent coupling member connected with the lever arm torock about an axis extending transversely of the length thereof, and

means for adjustably connecting the float to said coupling member.

9. A Afloat actuated means for operating a valve comprising a lever arm adapted to be connected adjacent one end with a valve, a block connected with the other end of the lever. arm to rock about an axis extending transversely of the length of the arm, stop means for limiting the vmovement of the vblock in opposite directions about a horizontal axis, and a lloat attached to the block.

10. A oat actuated means for operating a valve comprising a lever arm adapted to be connected adjacent one end with a valve,

a block connected with the vother end ot the lever arm to rock about an axis extending transversely of the length of the arm, and having a passagel therethrough at an angle to said axis, and a float provided with a stem that is adjustably secured in said passage in the block.

l1. A ioat actuated valve operating mechanism comprising a float provided with a stem, a coupling block to which the float stem is secured, and a lever arm adapted to be connected with a valve operating arm and having one end bent laterally and secured in a bearing in said block whereby it constitutes an axis about which the float may rock relative to the lever.

V12. A fioat actuated means for operating a valve comprising a lever arm adapted to be connected adjacent one end with a valve, a block provided with two passages extending therethrough in intersecting planes, means for securing the free end of the lever arm in'one of said passages,and a ioat having a stem extending into and secured in the other passage in said block.

k13. A float actuated means for operating l a valve comprising a lever arm adapted to a valvev comprising a lever arm adapted to be Connected, adjacent one encl, with a valve the other end of said arm being deleeted laterally, a member adapted to be secured 5 on said deflected endl of the lever arm to turn thereon'as an axis, a float carried by said member, and means oneaid member eooperating- Wtli the lever arm to limit the outward and inward movement of the float about a horizontal axis. 10

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

PHILIP MUELLER. 

